Mounting bracket for handheld tool

ABSTRACT

A compressor includes a pump and a mounting bracket attached to the pump. A handheld pneumatic tool is configured to be powered by the compressor. It is further configured to be captured by the bracket and to require the tool to be rotated in order to remove the tool from the bracket.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This application relates to mounting brackets for handheld power tools.

BACKGROUND

A compressor includes an air pump. A tank stores air compressed by thepump. A hose conducts the air stored in the tank to pneumatic devices,such as a nail gun.

SUMMARY

A compressor includes a pump and a mounting bracket attached to thepump. A handheld pneumatic-tool is configured to be powered by thecompressor. It is further configured to be captured by the bracket andto require the tool to be rotated in order to remove the tool from thebracket.

Preferably, the compressor includes a handle for lifting and carryingthe housing by the handle. The compressor is configured to have a firstorientation when manually moved and a second orientation, rotated 90°from the first orientation, when operated. The bracket is attached to aside wall of the compressor. Removal of the bracket does not requirebending, moving or squeezing the bracket. The tool has a hand gripconfigured to be removably captured by the bracket. 10. The rotation towithdraw the tool is against gravity when the compressor is in itsoperational orientation. The tool is one of multiple handheld pneumatictools, each configured to be powered by the compressor and having a handgrip configured to be removably captured by the bracket and requiringthe tool to be rotated to withdraw the tool from the bracket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1-3 are perspective views of a handheld tool mounted on a portablecompressor that is shown in three different positions;

FIGS. 4-6 are perspective views illustrating three steps of a procedurefor mounting the tool on the compressor; and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are perspective views showing the tool mounted on twoother compressors.

DESCRIPTION

The apparatus shown in FIG. 1 has parts that are examples of theelements recited in the claims. The apparatus thus includes examples ofhow a person of ordinary skill in the art can make and use the claimedinvention. It is described here to meet the requirements of enablementand best mode without imposing limitations that are not recited in theclaims.

The apparatus includes a compressor 1. It has an air pump 10 with a pumphousing 12 that supports an air tank 14. The tank 14 stores aircompressed by the pump 10. A hose 16 is configured to conduct the airstored in the tank 14 to a pneumatic device, such as a handheldpneumatic power tool 20. The tool 20 is removably mounted on thecompressor 1 by a mounting bracket 22 attached to the housing 12.

The housing 12 has a handle 26 and first and second opposite surfaces 31and 32 extending from the handle 26 to an end surface 33 opposite thehandle 26. The first surface 31 supports the bracket 22. The compressor1 is configured to be lifted and carried by its handle 26 as shown inFIG. 1. When carried, the compressor 1 is in a vertical orientation,with the first and second surfaces 31 and 32 vertical and the endsurface 33 spaced above and facing a floor 34.

When stored or used, the compressor 1 can remain in the verticalorientation as shown in FIG. 2, but with the end surface 33 resting onthe floor 34. Alternatively, the compressor 1 can be pivoted 90° into ahorizontal orientation shown in FIG. 3. The second surface 32 rests onthe floor 34 or a tabletop. The first surface 31, adjoining the bracket22, faces upward.

The bracket 22 is molded as a one-piece structure. With respect to thecompressor's vertical orientation shown in FIG. 4, the bracket 22 hasupper and lower fingers 41 and 42 projecting horizontally outward fromopposite ends of a vertical side bar 43. The bracket 22 has a cavity 50bounded by the fingers 41 and 42 and the side bar 43. Distal ends 51 and52 of the fingers 41 and 42 define an opening 54 to the cavity 50. Awidth W_(O) of the opening 54 is the vertical distance between thedistal ends 51 and 52. A cavity depth D_(C) is the horizontal distancefrom the opening 54 to the opposite end of the cavity 50.

The tool 20 in this example is a nail gun. It has a barrel 60, a nailcartridge 62 perpendicular to the barrel 60, a pistol grip 64 parallelwith the cartridge 62, and a trigger 66. The gun 20 is configured for ahand to grasp the grip 64 while the hand's index finger squeezes thetrigger 66. The hand grip 64 has a longitudinal axis A and across-sectional profile P perpendicular to the axis A. The profile P hasa longest dimension L_(P) and a shortest dimension W_(P) that areperpendicular to each other and to the axis A. The long dimension L_(P)is larger than both the opening width W_(O) and the cavity depth D_(C).The short dimension W_(p) is equal to or smaller than both the openingwidth W_(O) and the cavity depth D_(C).

A procedure for mounting the tool 20 to the compressor 1 has two steps.The first step is an insertion step indicated by arrow 71 in FIG. 4.This step begins with the barrel 60 directed away from the housing 12and the grip width W_(p) aligned with the opening width W_(O). A usermanually moves the pistol grip 64, without rotation, linearly throughthe bracket opening 54 into an intermediate position shown in FIG. 5. Inthe intermediate position, a portion of the grip 64 remains outside thecavity 50, because the grip's profile length L_(P) exceeds the cavitydepth D_(C).

The second step is a rotation step. The user rotates the gun (arrow 73)downward about the grip axis A into a mounted position shown in FIG. 6.To enable the grip 64 to clear the lower edge 52 of the opening 54during rotation and to bring the grip 64 fully into the cavity 50, theuser displaces the grip 64 toward the upper right hand corner 74 (withrespect to the orientation in FIG. 6) of the cavity 50 as indicated bydashed lines 76 in FIG. 6.

In the mounted position shown in FIG. 6, the barrel 60 extends downward.The profile's long dimension L_(P) is parallel with the opening widthW_(O). The grip 64 is captured in the cavity 50, because its profilelength L_(P) is larger than the opening width W_(O). The bracket'sfingers 41 and 42 simultaneously engage the grip 64 to prevent the grip64 from moving vertically. Enlarged sections 80 and 82 at longitudinallyopposite ends of the grip 64 are too large to enter the cavity 50 andthus prevent the grip 64 from sliding along its longitudinal axis A outof the cavity 50. If the compressor 1 is subsequently pivoted into itshorizontal orientation (FIG. 3), the barrel 60 will rest on the surface31 that supports the bracket 22.

To remove the gun 20 from the compressor 1, the barrel 60 is manuallypivoted (arrow 91 in FIG. 6) upward about the grip axis A. This returnsthe gun 20 back to the intermediate position (FIG. 5) with the gripwidth W_(p) parallel to the bracket's opening width W_(O). The grip 64can then be moved horizontally, without rotation, out of the cavity 50through the opening 54.

The following features of the mounting and removing procedures areapparent: Both procedures do not require bending, moving or squeezingthe bracket 22, so the bracket 22 can be made rigid and have no movingparts. Both procedures do not require the user to forcibly push onething against another or to apply any force beyond lifting the gun 20.The grip 64 must be rotated, assisted by gravity, to be brought into itscaptured position and must be rotated again, against gravity, to bewithdrawn from its captured position.

For marketing to a user, the compressor 1 can be packaged together withthe nail gun 20. Additionally, other pneumatic hand tools can be soldfor use with the compressor. These tools can include nail guns differingin size and shape, and handheld power tools other than nail guns.Although the sizes and shapes of these tools could differ greatly, theirhand grips would be sized and shaped so as to be interchangeablyattached to the same bracket 22, like the grip 64 described above.

FIG. 7 shows a second compressor 1′. Like the first compressor 1 (FIGS.1-6), this compressor 1′ has a pump 10′, a housing 12′, a tank 14′, ahandle 26′, and a hose 16′. The hose 16′ can be attached to the nail gun20. A mounting bracket 22′, like the bracket 22 described above, isattached to a vertical side surface 31′ of the housing 12′. Theprocedure for mounting/removing the gun 20 to/from this compressor 1′ isthe same as described above for the first compressor 1.

Unlike the first compressor 1, the housing 12′ of this compressor 1′does not support the tank 14′ but instead rests on top of the tank 14′.This compressor 1′ is not configured to be manually carried. It insteadhas wheels 36′, to be wheeled over a floor 34 while pushed by its handle26′. During use or when stored between uses, the second compressor'swheels 36′ and two feet 38′ rest on the floor 34 as shown in solid linesin FIG. 7. To enable wheeling the compressor 1′, it is tilted (arrow 93)about its wheels 36′ to raise the feet 38′ off the floor 34 as shown indashed lines.

FIG. 8 shows a third compressor 1″. Like the first and secondcompressors 1 and 1′, it has a pump 10″, a housing 12″, a tank 14″ and ahose 16″. A bracket 22″, like the brackets 22 and 22′ described above,is attached to a vertical side surface 31″ of the housing 12″ formounting the nail gun 20. However, in contrast to the other compressors1 and 1′, this compressor 1″ has no handle or wheels and is notconfigured to be tilted.

This written description uses examples to disclose the invention,including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in theart to make and use the invention. The patentable scope of the inventionis defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur tothose skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be withinthe scope of the claims if they have elements that do not differ fromthe literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalentstructural elements with insubstantial differences from the literallanguage of the claims.

1. An apparatus comprising: a compressor including a pump and a mountingbracket attached to the pump; and a handheld pneumatic tool configuredto be powered by the compressor, to be captured by the bracket, and torequire the tool to be rotated in order to withdraw the tool from thebracket.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the compressor includeswheels for wheeling the compressor over a floor after tilting thecompressor about the wheels.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 furthercomprising a handle for lifting and carrying the housing by the handle.4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the compressor is configured to reston a floor in first and second orientations that are rotated 90° fromeach other.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bracket is attachedto a side wall of the compressor.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5 whereinthe side wall is configured to be vertical when the compressor isoperated.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein withdrawal of the toolfrom the bracket does not require bending, moving or squeezing thebracket.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tool has a hand gripconfigured to be removably captured by the bracket and to rotated inorder to withdraw the tool from the bracket.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8wherein the rotation is about a longitudinal axis of the grip.
 10. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein the rotation to withdraw the tool isagainst gravity when the compressor is in its operational orientation.11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tool is one of multiplehandheld pneumatic tools, each configured to be powered by thecompressor and having a hand grip configured to be removably captured bythe bracket and requiring the tool to be rotated to withdraw the toolfrom the bracket.
 12. An apparatus comprising: a mounting bracketattached to a mounting surface; and a handheld tool having a hand gripand configured to be mounted on the surface with the grip captured byand in the bracket, and withdrawal of the grip from the bracket requiresrotating the grip about its longitudinal axis.
 13. The apparatus ofclaim 12 wherein the withdrawal of the grip does not require bending,moving or squeezing the bracket.
 14. The apparatus of claim 12 whereinthe tool is one of multiple handheld tools each having a hand grip andconfigured to be mounted on the surface with the grip captured by and inthe grip, with withdrawal of the grip from the bracket requiringrotating the grip about its longitudinal axis.
 15. The apparatus ofclaim 12 wherein with requirement for rotating is due to the grip havinglong and short dimensions perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of thegrip, the long dimension being longer than a width of an opening intothe bracket and being aligned with said width when the grip is captured,and the short dimension being smaller than said width.
 16. The apparatusof claim 15 wherein the long dimension is greater than the depth of thecavity of the bracket in which the grip is captured, to require the gripto be rotated about its longitudinal axis in order to fit entirely intothe cavity.
 17. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein, with respect to alongitudinal axis of the grip, diametrically opposite locations on thegrip are configured to simultaneously engage the bracket to preventmovement of the grip along a diametrically directed direction.